Emulating the current popular television programme, The Repair Shop, Heath URC in Halifax as part of the South Halifax Churches Together, have been instrumental in the starting of the Skircoat Repair Café.
The team behind it comprises folk from each of the local churches in Skircoat – Heath URC, St Andrew’s Methodist, All Saints C of E and St Mark’s C of E – as well as a local Halifax councillor, an administrator of the community Facebook page and a local ‘fixer’ who fixes for the Huddersfield Repair Café who has brought his knowledge experience and some fixers. Members of the churches provide the catering and front of house volunteers.
It has caught the eye of the local media, in particular the Halifax Courier https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/people/the-repair-shop-make-do-and-mend-enthusiasts-inspired-by-hit-tv-show-bringing-new-life-to-loved-household-items-all-over-calderdale-4490167
and BBC Radio Leeds, which you can listen to here if you are reading this on a digital device https://drive.google.com/file/d/19CdGj9uIeMMS_hywf9wXyIG0ZBJImxND/view?usp=sharing
This past Saturday – 20th January – went very well, with over 30 items being brought into be fixed. Over half of these items were repaired on the spot, other things taken away for fixing off site, and advice given on others. The room was buzzing, with many more coming for the coffee and amazing donated cakes, as well as to see what is going on. We may even have recruited some more fixers by chatting to the curious.
This will, of course, take is one step further on our journey to a Gold Eco Church award, with that applying to All Saints too.